Steam? No, just hot air

Steam Brewing’s managing director Steve Kermode went public last week to kill rumours about his business.

“We’ve heard rumours that we are teaming up in partnerships or opening franchises, and those rumours are not good for the company.”

Steve told Beertown.NZ that Steam has no plans to co-operate with other contract brewers or to expand to any other sites.

“A good reputation takes many years for people to understand and that’s why we’re trying to prevent people piggybacking on us. We’ve heard people are trying to break into the market and associate themselves with us, and that’s what we’re trying to prevent.”

Steam is completing a major expansion, almost doubling its production capacity. Steve says the annual production capacity is commercially sensitive, but indicates it is greater than the 2.5 million L Moa produced in the year to April.

In a Letter to the Industry, e-mailed to 68 brewers and brewing industry businesses last Wednesday, Steve said: “Word in our community travels fast and one thing that has come to our attention is the inference that Steam Brewing has co-operated with other contract brewing entities by way of partnering or Steam acting as a franchisor. For the record, Steam Brewing Company would like to issue the following statement to reassure the industry:

“Steam Brewing Company Limited is a privately-owned, independent company and has been so for over 20 years. With a wealth of industry experience in contract brewing, our long history of producing award-winning beers speaks for itself. Our reputation as New Zealand’s leading contract beer manufacturer is something we are extremely proud of and something we will continue to uphold, independently.”